H.—l6b

XXIV

The Dominion is divided into nine police districts, as follows :— Auckland, Wanganui, Christchurch, Thames, Wellington, Dunedin, Napier, Greymouth, Invercargill. The Force is distributed as shown in the return hereunder :—

The Force is distributed in the districts as follows : —

The enormous disparity in the size and importance of these districts strikes one at once. Invercargill, with 20 out-stations, and a total force of all ranks, including the Inspector, of 39 men; Greymouth, with 20 out-stations, and a total force of 37 men; Thames, with 21 out-stations, and a total force of 39 men; and so on until we get to the largest station, Auckland, with 60 out-stations, and a total force of 170; Wellington, with 39 out-stations, and 159 men; Christchurch, with 44 out-stations, and 141 men; Dunedin, with 35 out-stations, and 97 men; Wanganui, with 35 out-stations, and 56 men; and Napier, with 23 outstations, and 48 men. I cannot see the smallest reason, from a police point of view, for the existence of Invercargill as a separate district. With the greatly improved facilities for getting about the country, this district could be perfectly well worked and controlled from Dunedin. Although Greymouth is a miserably small police district, its geographical situation is such as to almost justify its separate existence. When the Midland Railway is completed, the district will probably be quite as conveniently controlled from Christchurch. I have not been able to gather that there was any necessity for the constitution of the Thames District. It has not been suggested that the efficiency of the control of the Auckland District suffered from its size. On that point Inspector Cullen has stated in his evidence that the work of which he was relieved,

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tH, iad Station. At O it-stations. Police District. rri ■r5 -rO o — OS a —I 3l fl 03 GG Ph o: fl M «1 2 S i « 3 60 GO cd GO -t-s fl £P CD oo CO 00 3 "fc.fc 5 (3 t> 60 > '-3 £ -^ CD 3 u -S |s O ft to fl .2 O c6 1° oo E , O a © s l-H c h. -^ cs o a CD CD 60 S >*! O GO =0 I « is m fl c o oi V .£ o p o « .2 to .J Auckland . . Thames Napier Wanganui . . Wellington.. Greymouth Christchurch Dunedin Invercargill 1 2 I 1 6 1 1 2 8 2 6 6 2 47 1 5 .. 8 .. 9 .. 44 2 4 .. 42 1 29 1 10 .. ! 5 ' 4 1 I •• 1 , •• 1 i •■ 4 4 1 .. 5 2 4 1 1 .. 60 21 23 35 39 20 14 35 20 1 .. i 10 2 3 6 1 9 3 7 6 2 70 23 28 53 74 26 71 15 22 2 1 2 1 8 3 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 5 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1